The Cheeseboard Collective

1512 Shattuck Ave
Berkeley, CA 94701
(510) 549-3055
http://cheeseboardcollective.coop

Reviewed 4/12/2009

Not the best pizza I have had, but great for everything else: price, supporting a co-op, atmosphere, open air seating (we got lucky and got one) and Berkeley-esque views of people enjoying pizza on the prohibited median. Plus there were three black dudes supplying great jazz at 5PM on a Saturday. Hearing them play "Girl from Ipanema" on a gorgeous spring day while dining al fresco was an invigorating simple pleasure.

I prefer Delfina pizza, but it's not fair to compare these two. But I will anyway. The Cheeseboard pizza I had was a bit too chewy with cheese and the crust was only moderately thin. Flavor was "Fresh Corn, Chili Passilla, Onions, Mozzarella Cheese, Feta Cheese, Garlic Olive Oil, Key Limes, Cilantro." You could taste these flavors, but...it was too cheesey for me, and the crust was not extraordinary.

HOWEVER, if my neighbor made this pizza, I would be like: man, this is good! You made this?!

I do put it up there among the top Berkeley experiences for all the other reasons. And I am definitely a fan.